Date of intake:: 10/16/2025

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray(Stood with finder for 1 week)

Previously lived with:: 3 adults, 1 teen, 1 child, 1 MMB

Behavior toward strangers:: Finder reported he he is tolerant but prefers contact on his own terms.

Behavior toward children:: Finder reported he prefers contact on his own terms and is shy at first but becomes friendly, playfu

Behavior toward dogs:: Finder reported he has no known experience with familiar dogs but is curious and outgoing with dogs.

Behavior toward cats:: No known experience.

Resource guarding:: Finder reported he considers food, toys and treats items of value and will have a tense body or hover over the items.

Bite history:: No known bite history.

Housetrained:: Partially

Energy level/descriptors:: Socky is noted to have a high energy level in the finder home.

Other Notes:: jumps up to greet people. Will bark or growl when startled but is unbothered held or restrained, moved off furniture, has his paws touched or collar grabbed. Finder never attempted to disturb him while he was sleeping. Finder reported he is a very affectionate, active, and playful dog who spends his time wherever people are, he had no problem being bathed by his finder and knows the cues stay, sit and off. During the week his finder had him he would go on 2-3 walks a day for 30-45mins at a time during which he would moderately pull on his leash. His favorite toys seem to be rags, balls and chew toys, he likes pillows and will eat anything that is offered to him.

Date of assessment:: 11/11/2025

Summary:: 11/11/25: *Although Socky was able to complete his handling assessment, he will remain NHO due to his potential for defensive escalations. He was loose and wiggly during the handling portion, but became tense and began hard barking during knock. He begins to retreat behind the assessor while still hard barking at the assistant. The assistant calls his name softly and he slowly ventures out, becoming conflicted. Socky would offer a quick wiggle, retreat behind the assessor while still barking; he does this twice before he finally approaches the assistant, body slightly lowered with low tail wags, ears back.* Leash Walking Strength and pulling: moderate pulling Reactivity to humans: inconclusive - did not pass Reactivity to dogs: inconclusive - did not pass Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): enters room with loose and wiggly body, jumps up persistently, panting heavily Call over: approaches with coaxing Sociability comments: pants as races around room, throwing body around, unable to settle or readily focus Handling Soft handling: leans in, pants, unable to settle, jumps up trying to push his face into assessor's Exuberant handling: leans in, pants, unable to settle, jumps up trying to push his face into assessor's Handling comments: Arousal Jog: follows, jumps up with open mouth Arousal comments: Knock: tense, hard bark, becomes conflicted Knock Comments: Toy: no response Toy comments: 10/18/25: During Socky's handling assessment, he exhibited heavy panting and maintained a loose, wiggly body while greeting both the assessor and the helper. He leaned into petting during the handling portion and continued to pant heavily, though he appeared distracted during the jogging segment. However, during the "knock" portion of the assessment, Socky began to bark loudly and snarl at the helper upon their re-entry into the room. He then lunged toward the helper and continued to display lunging behavior and intense barking even after the helper exited the room. The assessor returned Socky to his kennel, where he began spinning, turning, and pulling back toward the office while hard barking. At this point, he also displayed a stiff body posture with high hackles

Summary:: Due to entering the facility as a stray, there is no prior dog-to-dog history recorded. 10/20/25 Socky is introduced at the gate to a novel female dog while off leash at the care center. Socky appears aroused as he approaches the gate displaying wide-dilated eyes as well as hyper salivating. Socky runs back and forth along the gate line, displaying a lack of focus as the female dog maintains her distance from the gate. Socky is returned to kennel, concluding the interaction.

Summary (6):: 11/11/25 (Reassessment) Socky is standing on his kennel with a loose, wiggly body, allowing the handler to leash him. He proceeds toward the behavior office, maintaining a loose body and pulling on leash as he gallops down the hallway. Socky will enter the office loose and wiggly, allowing handling as he leans into both the handler and assessor. (Please refer to BA in behavior section for further details). Socky is returned to kennel on a drag leash, entering his kennel with no issue. 11/11/25: Socky is standing at the front of his kennel with a loose and wiggly body, allowing the handler to leash him easily. He is taken to the play yard for enrichment, where a drag leash is placed on him. Once released, Socky begins to run around the yard with zoomies, then jumps up on the handler playfully. The handler redirects him by tossing treats to the ground, which successfully shifts his focus. Socky continues exploring the yard, briefly engaging with a toy before disengaging and resuming exploration, occasionally sniffing the ground for leftover treats. When the session is complete, Socky is returned to his kennel safely without any issues.

Summary (7):: 11/04/25: Socky is standing at the front of kennel with a neutral frame as handler approaches. He is leashed with ease and pulls moderately out to the play yard where he is clipped to a drag lead and free to explore the space. Socky is social with handler throughout his time in the yard, showing social hyperarousal, jumping up incessantly whenever handler makes contact. Handler leans down to solicit petting with all four of Socky's feet on the floor and then refocuses him to tossed treats. Once done with the treats, Socky finds a soft toy and engages with it for several minutes. As handler slip leads him, Socky begins to jump up onto handler again. He pulls moderately back to kennel, returning safely. 10/20/25: Socky is standing at the door with a still frame, watching with slight whale eye as the handler approaches his kennel. Socky is leashed with ease as he will loosen up when the kennel door is opened. He pulls moderately to the yard where he is clipped to a drag leash. While they wait for a playmate to arrive, Socky is loose and social with the handlers in the yard. He walks up to both of them with a loose and wiggly body, wiggling more as they babytalk him. Socky will approach the gate when the other dog arrives. (please see dog-dog for more information) Once the gate greet is over, Socky is leashed and returned to his kennel where he is secured safely. 10/19/25: Socky is standing at the front of his kennel, hard barking as another dog is being handled nearby. When the handler approaches, Socky sits and allows leashing with ease. He is then escorted outside for an enrichment walk. While out, Socky displays heavy panting and mild pulling while sniffing and exploring the environment. He marks multiple areas and observes other dogs passing by without showing reactivity. When the session is complete, Socky is brought back to his kennel safely without any issues. 10/18/25: Socky is at the front of his kennel a bit fearful, low bodied and when coaxed begin to warm up and can be leashed easily. Socky is highly social once entering the room, zooming around the office, jumping onto the handlers and rolling over on his back. Socky completes most of his assessment with no issue, but when the handler begins to knock on the door for the portion of the assessment. Socky begins to hard bark, lunge and growl repeatedly, not being able to recover or stop until the handler leaves. The handler leaves for around a min and comes back in when he stops, and he starts again at the same intensity. Another handler removes him from the room and back to his kennel where he remains hypervigilant all the way back to his kennel

Date of intake:: 10/16/2025

Summary:: nervous and very active. Staff was able to walk to kennel with no complications but was unable to co

Date of initial:: 10/17/2025

Summary:: friendly, a little bit head shy, doesn't like mouth being touched

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): We recommend Socky be placed in an adult-only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Socky came into the care cneter as a stray and spent a week in the finders home. The finder noted that he is a very affectionate, active, and playful dog who spends his time wherever people are,they had no problem being bathed by his finder and knows the cues stay, sit and off.His favorite toys seem to be rags, balls and chew toys, he likes pillows and will eat anything that is offered to him. In the care center Socky presents with heightened arousal and sensitivity to environmental stimuli, displaying both affiliative and reactive behaviors during his handling assessment. Initially, he approached the assessor and helper with a loose, wiggly body, leaned into petting, and accepted handling without issue, indicating a capacity for social engagement. However, his behavior escalated quickly during the “knock” portion, where he responded with intense barking, snarling, and lunging toward the helper, continuing even after the individual exited the room.Given these behaviors, Socky would benefit from placement with a New Hope partner experienced in working with reactive dogs. A structured, low-stress environment with gradual exposure to triggers, behavioral modification, and positive reinforcement will help him develop more appropriate coping and recovery skills.

Potential challenges: : Resource guarding,Basic manners/poor impulse control,Handling/touch sensitivity,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Resource guarding:Finder reported Socky considers food, toys and treats items of value and will have a tense body or hover over the items. Training should focus on building trust through trade-up exercises, teaching cues like “drop it,” and managing the environment to prevent guarding scenarios. Positive reinforcement and gradual desensitization will help reduce guarding behavior. Please see the handout on Resource guarding. Basic manners/poor impulse control: Socky is noted to jump up to greet people.Teaching alternative greeting behaviors such as “sit” and reinforcing calm interactions will help reduce jumping and encourage polite engagement. Please see the handout on Basic manners/poor impulse control. Handling/touch sensitivity: During Socky medical exam he is noted to be friendly, a little bit head shy, doesn't like mouth being touched.Training should include gentle desensitization to touch, especially around the head and mouth, using treats and slow, positive interactions to build tolerance and trust. Please see the handout on Handling/touch sensitivity. Low threshold for arousal/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: The finder noted Socky will Will bark or growl when startled.During the "knock" portion of the assessment, Socky began to bark loudly and snarl at the helper upon their re-entry into the room. He then lunged toward the helper and continued to display lunging behavior and intense barking even after the helper exited the room. The assessor returned Socky to his kennel, where he began spinning, turning, and pulling back toward the office while barking aggressively. At this point, he also displayed a stiff body posture.These behaviors suggest a need for structured desensitization to startling stimuli, calm reintroduction to environments, and training to reduce frustration through enrichment and controlled exposure. Please see the handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression/On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration.